[WWYC] G0RTN BERU Open LP/single element

[Gerard Lynch]

                    RSGB Commonwealth Contest (BERU), CW

Call: G0RTN
Operator(s): G0RTN
Station: G0RTN

Class: Open LP/Single Element
QTH: Central London
Operating Time (hrs): 21

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
   80:   16
   40:   44
   20:   44
   15:   39
   10:    7
------------
Total:  150  Total Score = 3,240

Club: Worldwide Young Contesters

Rig: IC7400 barefoot, 40/80 trap dipole on roof at 33m agl, ATU for the
rest, no way to operate SO2R at this QTH, unfortunately, as this contest was
made for SO2R!

Comments:

After a slow start, excellent conditions made for a fun contest despite the
always low BERU QSO rate.  Good openings right across VE and into the Far
East on 15 and 20 during yesterday afternoon, and the VK/ZL big guns LOUD on
20 from 1200 till about 1700.  Then they went to 40, where there was an
excellent Pacific grey line opening in the evening, followed by an even
better grey line opening this morning, successively on 40, 20 and 15.
Really incredible conditions.  My 'umble little dipole has never worked so
many ZLs, with VK9NS (40 mtrs) being an easy all time new one.

It was also nice to work Z24S for a new one, as Zimbabwe is becoming
difficult these days.

10 produced the usual Africans, with a brief opening to the Carribean about
1600Z netting J88DR with non-contest TO7C loud at the same time, and to
Zones 26/29 this morning (9M6BG was 539 here about 0800Z but couldn't hear
me, and I couldn't break the pile-up on a very strong VK6VZ at the end of
the contest).

Nighttime was a mit more of a struggle, with the VE path on 40 going a bit
punk after 0000Z, with only the VE1/2/3 big guns putting in good signals,
before VE7CC suddenly boomed in at sunrise.  The clash with the Ukrainian
internal contest also made 80 a bit of a zoo last night, best DX were J88DR,
VP9/G3PJT and VE3s, no West of Canada, no VU (at all during the contest!),
no Africans and unsurprisingly no 9M/VK/ZL for me on 80!

Eventually made it to J88DR, ZC4LI, and GB5CC on all 5 bands

The only trouble was that I ran out of stations to work in the end, and with
only an inverted Vee I didn't really have enough of a signal to run with,
which meant generally slugging it in in the pile ups on the big guns.
Still, one of the more interesting contests in the calendar.

It's a pity non-Commonwealth stations can't take part in BERU, but the
limited number of hams active, seperated from one another by thousands of
kilometres means this contest has low QSO rates but unique tactics!

The low QSO rates also meant I could work any other juicy DX on the bands
without feeling guilty!

73

Gerry G0RTN
http://www.gerrylynch.co.uk